12 Days of Christmas: Day 7

This next film could be said not to be your typical christmas feature. The plot is more about various relationships with our loved ones, it just so happens to be set at the time of year when we think about them the most.

The film I’m talking about is, of course Love Actually. I’ve always loved the work of Richard Curtis, I think he has a brilliant way of writing hilariously strange, yet somehow ordinary people that anyone could come across. All of his features are heart-warming to say the least, but Love Actually is and always will be his most celebrated piece of work.

If you’ve not seen this feature, most likely because you’ve already signed it off as a typical ‘chick-flick’, then please do give it a try. The film features stars such as Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson, Martin Freeman, Rowan Atkinson need I go on?

Set primarily in London, the story begins five weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by a short epilogue that takes place one month later. We then follow the stories of an epic 19 characters across 10 different storylines involving various forms of love. This may sound complex, however Curtis has always had a skill for making his films relatable and so audiences very rarely find themselves confused by his plots.

As well as being as making us feel a bit soppy at times, Curtis does love a bit of humour as well – it is a romantic comedy after all! One of my personal favourite scenes is when character David, the current ‘prime minister’, decides to have a little victory dance at Downing Street. Rowan Atkinson’s painfully long gift-wrapping of a necklace purchased by character Harry in a jewellery store, was also one of my highlights. Then there’s Colin or as he calls himself “Colin, God of Sex”. Enough Said!

I think this is a must-see for anyone at Christmas because it reminds everyone of how lucky we are to have family, friends and lovers around us at this time and any other time of year. The stories are all so ordinary, but captivating in their own ways, which is why I think this ‘chick-flick’ has become one of the most successful of it’s time.